Napoli closes gap on top three

Cagliari, Italy (SportsNetwork.com) - Napoli moved to within five points of a Champions League place on Sunday as the club secured a 3-0 win at struggling Cagliari.

Jose Maria Callejon fired the visitors in front after 24 minutes, and Napoli's lead was doubled just before the break thanks to an own goal from Antonio Balzano. Manolo Gabbiadini made it 3-0 shortly before the hour mark, while the lone blemish for Napoli came in the 66th minute when Christian Maggio was sent off.

Cagliari's relegation fears only deepen with the loss as the club sits nine points from safety with seven games remaining.

Gonzalo Higuain threatened on a few occasions in the opening 20 minutes for Napoli, but the visitors snatched the lead in the 24th when Marek Hamsik picked out Callejon with a pass that left him alone with goalkeeper Zeljko Brkic, who couldn't keep out the shot.

Brkic did well to palm an effort from Hamsik past the post, although he could do nothing in first-half stoppage time to prevent the second goal.

Hamsik's cross was intended for Lorenzo Insigne, but Balzano redirected it into his own net while attempting a clearance.

Gabbiadini entered the match as a substitute for Napoli in the second half, and he didn't take long to beat Brkic with a powerful left-footed shot.

Napoli was reduced to 10 men in the 66th when Maggio collected a second yellow card for a foul on Danilo Avelar, but the visitors easily see out the rest of the match to claim all three points.

AS Roma failed to keep pace at the top of the table as the club was held to a 1-1 draw at home by Atalanta.

Francesco Totti opened the scoring from the penalty spot in only the third minute of the match, but Atalanta answered with a penalty of its own courtesy of German Denis.

The Milan derby failed to produce a goal as Inter Milan and AC Milan finished in a 0-0 stalemate, leaving both teams stuck in the middle of the table.

Palermo received two goals from Ivailo Chochev at the Stadio Renzo Barbera on Sunday, enough to grant the club a 2-1 victory over Genoa.

The remainder of Sunday's Serie A slate was highlighted by draws as Empoli and Parma shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw, Udinese claimed a point from a 1-1 draw at Chievo and Sassuolo and Torino exchanged penalties in a 1-1 draw at the Stadio Citta del Tricolore.